Supporting device



Oct. 1, 1940. w. E. ELMER 2,216,408

SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed June 6, 1939 .ff-yf.

INVENTOR mja/,m

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. l, 1940 l UNITE-D STATES QP'FE-Nt'FFICE SUPPORTING Diivicii William E; Eimer, weils, Minn, f, ,l Application June 6, 1939, Serial-No'. 277,7251* f 2 lCairns. (ci`.' 2l4`fs`"-1451,A I

My invention relates to supporting devices for mail boxes and the like and more particularly to supporting devicesequipped with means for protecting mail boxes supported thereby.

In rural districts it is the common practice to support mail boxes and the like adjacent the side of a highway whereby the rural carrier may have ready access thereto for delivery of mail` In thus positioning mailboxes, a standard is employed to which is secured the inner end of a horizontally extending arm, the outer end of the arm having attached thereto the mail box. The arm usually extends over an area adjacent the side of the highway and in the path of any traffic which may traverse a portion of the area. When thus arranged, the mail box is often struck and damaged by traflic due to the foregoing described proximity of the arm relative to the highway. Therefore, it is one of the principal objects of my invention to provide a device equipped with means, while permitting the mail box to be disposed in proximity to the highway, functions to protect the mail box and thereby eliminate damage thereto and which means includes a horizontally disposed medium to which the box is attached and which is capable of being rotated out of the path of traffic upon impact imparted to said medium.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character which is simple in construction, durable in use, eicient in operation and economical in manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claims and annexed drawing.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a side elevation of my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

Figures 6 and '7 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines 6 6 and 'I I of Figure 5 respectively.

In practicing my invention as illustrated in the drawing, I provide a hollow standard 5 having upper and lower sections B and 1 respectively. The lower section is of a substantially square configuration in cross section while the upper section is of a substantially cylindrical configuration fashioned with an arcuate horizontal slot 8 andwith aligned apertures 9 extending therethrough and spaced 'subjacent said slot. Associated with thejstandard v5 is a hollow support memberllhaving a pair of rightangularly relatedarm's 1I I` and I2; The arm I2 isl'journaled within vthe=iupper`section 6 vandris formed with anlfopening I3 registering with the slot B. The arm I I,'s'ubjacent thev opening I3, is also formed with a pair of-a1igned holes I4 registering with the apertursB-of 'saidsection6. i

The outer end of the arm I2 is attened and has mounted on the upper face thereof a guard frame I5'provided with inner and outer and intermediate transverse members I6 fixed to thel arm by means of rivets I7 or the like. The inner transverse member I6 is of an angle iron construction provided with right angularly disposed end sections defining side members I8 riveted to the outer ends of the other transverse members I5. Positioned within the frame I 5 is a mail box I 9 equipped on the outer end with a door 20 whereby mail and the like may be placed therein. The side members I8 and the inner transverse member I6 are provided with vertically disposed side portions embracing the lower portion of the mail box and are adapted to guard and protect the latter from damage when the frame is subjected to impact.

A collar 2| is fixed to the arm II by means of a pin 22 extending therethrough and said collar engages and receives the upper end of the upper section 6 of the standard and maintains the arm I2 in a xed horizontal plane above the standard. A shear pin 23 extends through the slot 8 and opening I3 and coacts with the end walls of the slot for limiting the rotation of the support relative to the sta-ndard. A detachable shear pin 24 extends thro-ugh the apertures 9 and holes Iii and maintains the support xed to the'standard 5. The Shear pin 2li is capable vof being sheared upon impact imparted to the arm I2 or frame I5 to permit rotation of the support relative to the standard and thus enable the mail box tobe rotated out of the path of the instrumentality initiating the impact. The shear pin 2li is adapted to be detached from the arm II and standard 5 to permit the mail box to be rotated relative to the standard when desired. The pin 24 is shearable upon suflicient impact imparted to the arm I2 or frame I5 to permit further rotation of the support relative tothe standard to preclude damage to the mail box.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and efficient device for supporting mail boxes and the like adjacent the side o a roadway and which is capable of operation to preclude damage tcy the mail box by passing trafc.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefor as it may be utilized for any purpose to Which it is adaptable. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction las illustrated and described, as the same is only illustrative of the principles of operation, which are capable of extended application in advance forms, and that the invention comprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising, a standard, a support journaled in said standard and having an angularly disposed section, a guard frame mounted on said section and adapted to receive therein a mail box and protect the latter from impact, means connecting said support to said standard against relative movement and operable upon impact imparted to said frame for permitting rotation of said support relative to said standard, and means connecting said support to said standard for limiting rotation of said support relative to said standard and operable upon sufficient impact imparted to said frame to permit free rotation of said support relative to said standard.

2. A device of the character described, comprising, a standard having an upper hollow section fashioned with an arcuate horizontal slot and with aligned apertures extending therethrough and spaced from said slot, a support member having a pair of angularly related arms with one of said arms journaled Within said section and formed with an opening registering With said slot and with a pair of aligned holes registering With said apertures, a guard frame mounted on said other arm and adapted to receive a mail receptacle and protect the latter from impact, a collar fixed on said support and engaging the upper end of said section and coacting with the latter to maintain said last mentioned arm in a fixed horizontal plane above said standard, a shear pin extending through said slot and opening and coacting With the end Walls of said slot for limiting rotation of said support relative to said standard, and a detachable shear pin extending through said apertures and said holes for maintaining said support xed to said standard and shearable upon impact imparted to said last mentioned arm to permit rotation of said support relative to said standard, said rst mentioned shear pin shearable upon suicient impact imparted to said last mentioned arm to effect further rotation of said support relative to said standard.

WILLIAM E. ELMER.. 30 

